Calculating mechanism for ten keys - four species - calculating machines

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses a calculating mechanism for transferring values from a value detecting rack to a counter gear in which a setting disc has teeth meshing with the rack and a peripheral cam with a sharp rise at one end. A control wheel which rotates on each machine cycle has a toothed sector pivotally mounted thereon and biased away from engagement with the counter gear. The sector has a cam on the inner side in the plane of the cam on the setting disc with a sharp rise at the leading end. The cams move the sector into engagement with the counter gear when the rises meet so the adjusted position of the disc determines the amount of rotation imparted to the counter gear when the control wheel makes a rotation.

United States Patent Burkhardt [54] CALCULATING MECHANISM FoR TEN KEYS FoUR SPECIES CALCULATING MACHINES [72] Inventor: Gottfried Burkhardt, Winkelhaid,

Germany [73] Assignee: Diehl, Nurnberg, Germany [22] Filed: July 19, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 163,944

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 1, 1970 Germany ..P 20 38 370.4

521 US. Cl. ..235/60 R, 235/60 TK 51 Int. Cl ..G06c 15/12, G06C 27/00 581 Field of Search ..235/60 R, 60 TK [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,468,480 9/1969 Okuda et a] ..235/60 R 1 Oct. 10, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,110,880 10/1955 France ..235/60 R Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Attorney-Walter Becker [57] ABSTRACT The specification discloses a calculating mechanism for transferring values from a value detecting rack to a counter gear in which a setting disc has teeth meshing with the rack and a peripheral cam with a sharp rise at one end. A control wheel which rotates on each machine cycle has a toothed sector pivotally mounted thereon and biased away from engagement with the counter gear. The sector has a cam on the inner side in the plane of the cam on the setting disc with a sharp rise at the leading end. The cams move the sector into engagement with the counter gear when the rises meet so the adjusted position of the disc determines the amount of rotation imparted to the counter gear when the control wheel makes a rotation.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures CALCULATING MECHANISM FOR TEN KEYS FOUR SPECIES CALCULATING MACHINES The present invention relates to a calculating mechanism for keys-four species-calculating machines, the value former of which in each digit comprises a setting disc rotatable by a control gear rack, and also comprises a control wheel adjacent to said disc and machine operated with nine teeth which are displaceable by the setting discradially outwardly from an ineffective position and which in lifted condition meshes with a counter wheel.

To this type of calculating mechanism there belongs, above great the frequently employed and well-proved "stave wheel calculating mechanism according to which nine staves are radially displaceably mounted in the machine driven control wheel, which staves are adapted to be controlled by means of a setting disc adjacent to the stave wheel. The outwardly displaced teeth will, during the rotation of the stave wheel, mesh with the counter wheel and willtum ahead said counter wheel by a number of teeth which corresponds to the number of the staves occupying an effective position. Such stave wheel has 14 parts, a calculating mechanism, for instance, of- 16 stave wheels. Not only the great quantity, but also the required precision of the parts makes necessary a certain minimum in manufacturing costs. 1

With the calculating mechanism as disclosed, for instance, in German patent No. 901,003 and French patent No. [,1 10,880, the number of parts is considerably less. According to these known calculating mechanisms, a nine-teeth gear sector is non-rotatably but radially displaceably arranged on the machine driven control wheel. This gear sector is, by means of a cam disc, or the like, so controllable that in each instance a number of teeth corresponding to the felt number of teeth meshes with a gear wheel of a counter mechanism that is located in the same plane when the machine driven control wheel rotates. A calculating mechanism of this type has considerably less parts than a stave wheel, however, the true angular slip-free coupling of the teeth in the counter wheel causes considerably difficulties during the rotation.

The stave wheel and the lastmentioned calculating mechanisms have the additional drawback that the worn-out teeth will at full force hit upon the teeth of the stationary counter wheel. This not only causes increased wear and excessive centrifuging effect, but also results in a considerable noise development. The speed of rotation is therefore limited.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a calculating mechanism which will permit realization of at least as slight a digit distance as a stave wheel calculating mechanism, but will have considerably less parts and less sensitive parts.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a calculating mechanism as set forth above, which will operate at high speed with a minimum of noise development and with a minimum of wear.

These and other objectsand advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. I is a side view of a part of the calculating mechanism according to the invention and shows said calculating mechanism partially in section in its starting position.

FIG. 2 shows the same calculating mechanism part in feeling position with the shaft of the calculating mechanism in operation, and more specifically at the instance when the teeth are about to engage each other.

The calculating mechanism according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that a substantially semicircular nine-teeth tooth sector adapted to pivot outwardly against the thrust of a spring is eccentrically located on a machine driven control wheel. This tooth sector has an inwardly directed control cam path with a substantially radially extending end face edge and has an outwardly directed abutment cam with a substantially vertically ascending abutment edge, said outwardly directed abutment cam being located on a setting disc which is arranged in the plane of the tooth sector and is adjacent to the control wheel while standing still during the rotation of the shaft of the calculating-mechanism. As a result thereof the free end of the tooth sector which is pivotable about a pivot point is held stationary for a short period of time and is radially pivoted outwardly while teeth of said sector immerse radially into the counter wheel in alignment therewith and subsequently rotate said counter wheel.

Although the teeth of the tooth sector are, during the rotation of the shaft of the calculating mechanism, in coupling engagement with the counter wheel, the coupling operation proper is, in view of the conversion of the rotary movement into a radial thrust movement effected at a considerably reduced speed. Subsequently, the counter wheel is rotated further in a normal manner. The coupling operation is thus effected in a shock-free wear-free and noiseless manner.

In order to assure a safe operation, the setting disc may, through an adjusting segment, be in positive engagement with the gear rack, which during the rotation of the shaft of the calculating mechanism remains in its feeling position. The setting segments of all digits are, during this time period, adapted to be locked in the said position preferably by a common aligning rail.

The calculating mechanism according to the invention is characterized particularly by the low number of simple punched elements, the low digit distance the design which is easily checked, and is characterized by the high speed of operation. The calculating mechanism according to the invention requires only a slight manufacturing and setting precision while the main parts subjected to wear can easily and quickly be exchanged without disassembling the calculating mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, FIG. 1 shows a pin carriage 1 which is felt or sensed by means of a gear rack 2. An adjusting segment 5 (shown in brokenoff condition) meshes with gear rack 2. Segment 5 is connected to an axially adjacent setting disc 4 which is pivotally mounted on the shaft 3 of a calculating mechanism. The setting disc 4 in its turn has axially ad jacent thereto a control wheel 7 which is firmly connected to the shaft 3 of the calculating mechanism. Arranged on said control wheel 7 and pivotable about a pivot point 10 is a substantially semicircular nine-teeth tooth sector 9 pivotally arranged, which tooth sector 9 is located in the plane of the setting disc 4. A spring 8 holds the gear sector 9 in the illustrated ineffective position. A control tooth 19 of the control wheel 7 serves for a 10th control, not further illustrated in the drawing.

The setting disc 4 has associated therewith an abutment cam 6 which has its front side provided with a substantially vertically ascending abutment edge 18 which cooperates with a substantially radially inwardly extending end face edge 17 of a circular control cam path 11 of the gear sector 9. The gear sector 9 is provided' with teeth 16 which in fixed distance has associated therewith a counter wheel 12 in alignment therewith. Said counter wheel 12 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 13 of a counter mechanism and is secured against accidental turning by a ratchet spring 14. An

aligning rail 15 meshing with the teeth of the adjusting segment 5 when the rack 2 has been displaced into its feeling position,'locks the setting disc 4 during the rotation of shaft 3 of the calculating mechanism against self-adjustment when the edges 16 and 17 start moving toward each other. The gear sector 9 and the control cam path 11 thereof so cooperate with the abutment cam 6 that of the nine teeth tooth system 16 of the tooth sector 9 always that number of teeth becomes effective which corresponds to the value felt by the rack.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, by means of the pin carriage l, the gear rack 2, and the setting segment 5, the setting disc 4 is rotatable for ascertaining that number of teeth of the tooth system 16 which is to be coupled into engagement with the counter wheel 12. In this way, the abutment cam 6 is adjusted in its association with regard to the control cam path 11 of the gear sector 9. In conformity with the respective value, the end face edge 17 of the control cam path 11 moves sooner or later against the abutment edge 18 of the abutment cam 6. With the embodiment of FIG. 2, this is the value 6, which means that six teeth of the tooth system 16 are, during the rotation of shaft 3 of the counter mechanism to be coupled into engagement with the counter wheel 12. This makes it necessary to position the control cam path 1 1 as illustrated with its front radial end face edge 17 against which the radial abutment edge 18 of the abutment cam 6 must hit before the fifth tooth of the gear sector 9counted from spring 8-. passes the counter tooth on the counter wheel 12.

Inasmuch as from the instant of the impact of the end face edge 17 upon the abutment edge 18 up to the sliding off of the uppermost comers of these edges l7, 18, FIG. 2 shows this momentary condition, the free end of the gear sector 9 is prevented from rotation. During this short time period, the end of the gear sector 9 carries out a radial movement against tensioning spring 8. The teeth 16 are going to be coupled with the counter wheel 12. Inasmuch as the edge 17, is approximately below the seventh tooth, counting from the pivot point 10, a slight return stroke is effected with the teeth at the free end. With the teeth closer to the pivot point no return stroke occurs with the teeth close to the pivot point. Instead, merely a slight slow down of the rotary movement occurs. During the coupling phase a correction of the tooth engaging error brought about thereby may be effected by a different setting of the adjusting disc 4 through the'adjusting segment 5. In other words, the abutment edge 18 is to be reached with the individual values.

If the temporary condition illustrated in FIG. 2 is completed, which means that the two edges 17, 18, slide upon each other, the counter wheel 12 is in mesh with the teeth 16 turned further by six teeth. Only when the trailing edges of the control cam path 11 and of the abutment cam 6 slide off from each other, in other words, after the last tooth of the gear system 16 has turned out of the counter wheel 12, will the spring 8 again pivot the gear sector 9 back into its FIG. 1 starting position.

The aligning rail 15 which, during the rotation of shaft 3 of the calculating mechanism engages the teeth of the setting segment 5, will during the value forma- -tion assure a precise position of the abutment cam 6 or its abutment edge 18 relative to the control cam path 11 and its end face edge 17.

In operation, the rack 2 moves toward the right in the drawings and stops against a displaced pin in pin table 1. Movement of the rack rotates setting disc 4 to a predetermined position and in which position it is locked by aligning rail 15. Thereafter, when machine shaft 3 rotates in the clockwise direction and carries control wheel 7 with it, sector 9 will remain in its inner position until edge17 on the sector engages edge 18 on cam 6. At this point, the sector 9 moves outwardly on control wheel 7 to bring the teeth 16 into mesh with the teeth of counter gear 12. The positioning of setting disc 4 by rack 2 determines that sector 9 will engage counter wheel 12 at the right point along the toothed portion of sector 9. About the time the teeth of sector 9 are fully in mesh with the teeth of counter gear 12, the radially inner comer of edge 17 will slide off the radially outer comer of edge 18 and, thereafter, during continued rotation of control wheel 7, the circumferential portions of the cams will hold sector 9 in outward position. The length of the cams is such that the amount of angular movement of control wheel 7 during which sector 9 is held in its outer position is at least equal to the angular range of teeth 16 on sector 9. After the last tooth on sector 9 has disengaged from counter gear 12, the trailing end of the cam on the sector 9 will reach the end of cam 6 on setting disc 4 which is opposite edge 18 and sector 9 will again be pulled back to its inner position by spring 8. Thereafter, rail 15 can disengage from the teeth carried by setting disc 4 and rack 2 can return to its rest position.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawing, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lO-key calculating machine of the four species type having a rack for each digit and a toothed adjusting disc meshing with each rack, each rack reciprocating to a preset position during a machine operation, a shaft which carries out a rotation during a machine operation, a control wheel fixed to said shaft and driven in rotation thereby during a machine operation, an arcuate nine-tooth sector extending circumferentially of said control wheel having the trailing end thereof pivotally connected to said control wheel and biased on the control wheel to pivot radially inwardly thereon, a radially inwardly extending control cam formed on the radially inner side of said sector and having a generally radial leading edge, a setting disc rotatable on said shaft and having teeth meshing with said rack so as to be angularly adjustable thereby, a cam on said disc extending radially outwardly therefrom in the plane of said control cam and having a generally radial edge facing the said leading edge of said control cam, said edges being so inclined that upon the leading edge of the control cam engaging said edge of said cam on the disc during rotation of said control wheel said sector will be moved to an outwardly pivoted position on said control wheel, and a counter gear adjacent said control wheel and in the same plane and having teeth which are outside the range of the teeth on said sector when the sector is in an inwardly pivoted position on said control wheel and within the range of the teeth on said sector when the sector is in an outwardly pivoted position on said control wheel.

2. A calculating machine according to claim 1 in which said cams comprise circumferential portions which remain in engagement during the continued rotation of said control wheel after said sector has been moved to said outwardly pivoted position to hold the teeth of said sector in engagement with the teeth of said counter gear.

3. A calculating machine according to claim 2 in which the circumferential lengths of said cams are of such length as to remain in engagement during rotation of said control wheel through an angle at least as great as the angle covered by the teeth on said sector.

4. A calculating machine according to claim 1 which includes an aligning rail pivoted into engagement with the teeth of the said adjusting disc to align and lock said disc after adjustment thereof by said rack and during rotation of said control wheel. 

1. In a 10-key calculating machine of the four species type having a rack for each digit and a toothed adjusting disc meshing with each rack, each rack reciprocating to a preset position during a machine operation, a shaft which carries out a rotation during a machine operation, a control wheel fixed to said shaft and driven in rotation thereby during a machine operation, an arcuate nine-tooth sector extending circumferentially of said control wheel having the trailing end thereof pivotally connected to said control wheel and biased on the control wheel to pivot radially inwardly thereon, a radially inwardly extending control cam formed on the radially inner side of said sector and having a generally radial leading edge, a setting disc rotatable on said shaft and having teeth meshing with said rack so as to be angularly adjustable thereby, a cam on said disc extending radially outwardly therefrom in the plane of said control cam and having a generally radial edge facing the said leading edge of said control cam, said edges being so inclined that upon the leading edge of the control cam engaging said edge of said cam on the disc during rotation of said control wheel said sector will be moved to an outwardly pivoted position on said control wheel, and a counter gear adjacent said control wheel and in the same plane and having teeth which are outside the range of the teeth on said sector when the sector is in an inwardly pivoted position on said control wheel and within the range of the teeth on said sector when the sector is in an outwardly pivoted position on said control wheel.
 2. A calculating machine according to claim 1 in which said cams comprise circumferential portions which remain in engagement during the continued rotation of said control wheel after said sector has been moved to said outwardly pivoted position to hold the teeth of said sector in engagement with the teeth of said counter gear.
 3. A calculating machine according to claim 2 in which the circumferential lengths of said cams are of such length as to remaIn in engagement during rotation of said control wheel through an angle at least as great as the angle covered by the teeth on said sector.
 4. A calculating machine according to claim 1 which includes an aligning rail pivoted into engagement with the teeth of the said adjusting disc to align and lock said disc after adjustment thereof by said rack and during rotation of said control wheel. 